AUGUST 27–SEPTEMBER 2

Offering the Tract

 1. Briefly review highlights, pointing out features that are most likely to attract attention.

 2. What can you say that might prompt the householder to want to read it?

 3. What features of the brochure could you highlight to tie in with the theme of the tract?

Helping Those with Special Needs

¹ Do we look for ways to work together with those whose opportunities to speak of Jehovah and his goodness are greatly limited due to some handicap or disability? There is hardly a congregation that does not have one or more individuals who are limited in what they can do because of some disability. There are many who are incapacitated physically because they are crippled, blind, deaf, or aged. While Jehovah is certainly pleased with their limited service, should we conclude that their desire to share fully is any less than ours?

² It is true with some that physical infirmities produce a greater awareness of Jehovah’s love and goodness, prompting the individual to want to do more. Such a person may look for greater opportunities to serve Jehovah, and with some assistance from others, this may be possible, with greater joy resulting to all. Would it not be a fine expression of loving interest to include such ones in our plans for service, being alert to opportunities to take them with us or assist them to participate? This is in line with our set goal to HELP ONE ANOTHER!

WHAT WE CAN DO

³ This thoughtfulness certainly harmonizes with the operation of Jehovah’s spirit, which permeates the Christian congregation. Paul explained that there are “many members, yet one body” and observed that there are “members of the body which seem to be weaker” due to limitations that could be of a physical nature. The result? “If one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it.” The effort to assist such ones with “helpful services” draws the congregation together in love and amplifies the proclamation of the Kingdom message.—1 Cor. 12:19-31.

⁴ Can you think of some ways to do that? In one congregation there was a blind brother who was not entirely satisfied with what he was doing in Jehovah’s service. He wanted to do more. Sensing a need, another brother asked if there was some way he could assist. As things worked out, the blind brother was soon conducting a regular Bible study of his own. How did he do it? The helping brother took time each week to read the entire lesson out loud for him. He would accompany the blind one on the Bible study and read the questions. Being familiar with all the material, the blind brother was able to conduct a fine study, much to his joy.

⁵ In another congregation, several deaf ones became associated. There was no one to assist them as an interpreter, so a few of the young brothers and sisters were alert to this need and learned the sign language. They made a fine expression of their brotherly love by helping to convey the benefits of the meetings to such ones. They also arranged to take them along with them in the service, setting up opportunities on various calls where these deaf ones could express their hope to others. Needless to say, there was a mutual interchange of encouragement among all involved.

⁶ A severely crippled sister found it almost impossible to get to the meetings or share in group arrangements for service. Several thoughtful publishers arranged to take turns recording congregation meetings so that she could get the benefits even though confined at home. Besides regular visits to give encouragement, they also helped her arrange things so as to share in the service. They provided her with names and addresses of interested persons to whom she could write and some of them she was even able to develop into Bible studies. There have been similar cases where the interested person has been brought to the bedside of the infirm one and the study was conducted there regularly. Other experiences tell of kindly publishers taking infirm ones along in a wheelchair when they do street work or when they work in apartment buildings where such ones can move about more easily from door to door. It takes a little more time and effort, but think of the far-reaching benefits of thus working together.

⁷ You likely can discover a wide variety of similar needs existing right in your own congregation. Do you have a foreign-speaking publisher with a language barrier? Is there some older brother or sister who needs a helping hand? What about those who might have a chronic ailment that permits service activity only under specialized conditions? If you give this matter some thought, you may be able to contribute toward helping your brother in a manner that can bring great joy to him, as well as to yourself.

⁸ Planning our activity with a view to working together assures the incapacitated ones that “if one of them should fall, the other one can raise his partner up.” It also gives real meaning to the proverb: “Friends always show their love. What are brothers for if not to share trouble?”—Eccl. 4:10; Prov. 17:17, Today’s English Version.

The Service Overseer—How He Can Help Us

¹ As a result of recent adjustments in the arrangement for elders a service overseer will be coordinating all the field activity in the congregation. What does this tell us? For one thing it emphasizes the importance of preaching the good news and making disciples. Additionally, we see the need for improved leadership and participation in the field service.

² During recent visits of the circuit overseer, one elder was selected to serve as the service overseer. Thought was given to having a brother who is zealous for field service, who loves the preaching work and who is capable of assisting others in making disciples. By the end of August, all congregations will have an assigned service overseer.

³ The service overseer is not given a lot of records to keep, so he is free to take the lead out in the field. He will need and should have the cooperation of all the elders and ministerial servants, who will share in the field service leadership just as shepherds go ahead of the flocks.

⁴ He will care for the basic responsibilities assigned to the field overseer as outlined on pages 73-76 of the Organization book. (However, field reports will be handled by the secretary.) He will give consideration to the field service arrangements throughout the week and see what improvements might be recommended to the body of elders. If some arrangements are not well supported, why is this the case? Should any adjustments be made? Is there a need for better leadership in some group(s)? Is the maximum being done to provide assistance to those who want help in the service? How is the territory being covered? What can be done to help more conduct Bible studies?

⁵ Much of his work of strengthening field service will be within the book study groups. Many, if not all, of the elders will be book study conductors, and having discussed and understood what is needed as a body of elders, they will be able to cooperate more readily and effectively with the service overseer in implementing and building support for field service.

⁶ The service overseer usually will conduct a book study, but once a month he will visit one of the other book study groups, showing particular interest in how the group is doing in the preaching work. (While he is away, his assistant will conduct the study.) With the study being reduced to 45 minutes during his visit, the service overseer will use the closing 15 minutes to encourage all in the group to appreciate their privilege of sharing the good news with others. In addition to working with publishers from house to house as he is able during the week, perhaps he can go with one or more on a Bible study.

⁷ The service overseer will serve continuously unless circumstances make it necessary for a replacement. If a change must be made, the body of elders will assign that responsibility to another elder and inform the congregation. At his next visit, the circuit overseer will show on his report to the Society which elder is currently serving in that position. The service overseer can take his regular turn as presiding overseer according to the local rotation schedule.

⁸ We invite your full cooperation with the service overseer in your congregation, as you give good support to the field service arrangements in your book study group.

Announcements

● Literature offer for August: My Book of Bible Stories for $2.00. Or, alternative offer of three pocket-size books for $1.00 for those who do not prefer a book for children. September: A tract will be used along with two magazines and the revised brochure Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Twentieth Century for 25c. October: Awake! subscription for $2.50 with a pocket-size book given free to new subscribers.

● Since the Society receives quite a number of inquiries relating to gifts and wills and the conditional donation arrangement, it may prove helpful to read to the congregation again the Society’s letter of last year. Especially is this suggested if, for some reason, it was not read to the congregation before. With this letter, enclosures were sent. These were to be placed in the congregation file by the secretary who is to make them available to any who request to read them.

● As of July 1, the Society is producing two Braille Watchtower magazines each month. Henceforth, the Braille edition will be available on a subscription basis only, the partnership arrangement for exchanging magazines being discontinued. The subscription rate is $6.00 per year. Other publications are available in Braille. Those who are interested should write the Society, Attention: Braille Desk.

● As soon as the August report is compiled, the form (S-10) for supplying the Society with the activity of the congregation should be completed and sent promptly to the Society. Keep the duplicate in the congregation file.

● Pioneer report cards and forms for use by the congregation during the coming year are being mailed in August.

● New Publications Available:

Good News—to Make You Happy—Bengali, Hungarian, Marathi, Serbian

Holy Spirit—The Force Behind the Coming New Order!—Hungarian

Study Questions for the book Is the Bible Really the Word of God?—Chinese, Japanese, Spanish

● Available Again in U.S.A.:

The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life—Hindi

● Out of Stock in U.S.A.:

God’s “Eternal Purpose” Now Triumphing for Man’s Good—English

● “The Bible—A Book for This Generation” is the timely subject for the new slide talk that circuit overseers will show starting September 1979. In previous years it took four years to have a slide showing world wide, but this time enough sets of slides are being sent out so that all congregations earth wide will see the slide talk within the 1980 service year.

● Due to the steady increase in the cost of materials and services, the Society finds it necessary to increase the prices of the following publications, effective September 1, 1979:

Watchtower and Awake! Subscriptions

Semimonthly

Magazines Pioneer Publisher Public

1 Year $1.25 $2.40 $2.50

6 Months .65 1.15 1.25

Monthly

Magazines

1 Year .65 1.15 1.25

(No 6-month subscriptions on monthly magazines.)

Books

Pocket-size book .10 .45 .50

There is no change in price for larger books, and individual copies of the magazines will still be placed with the public at 10c a copy.

● The Literature Inventory forms should be completed and forwarded to the Society no later than September 6. In view of September price changes, the value of 192-page books should be shown as 45c.

Congregation Book Study

Schedule for congregation studies in the book Is This Life All There Is?:

August 5: Pages 43 to 51*

August 12: Pages 51 to 60*

August 19: Pages 60 to 69*

August 26: Pages 69 to 78*

* To subheading or chapter heading.

Part 2—Helping One Another—Through the Book Study

¹ While all of us equally share the responsibility to preach, we are not all equal in experience or abilities. (1 Cor. 12:29, 30) There are those who are new or lack experience. Some are limited due to education or language barriers. Others are particularly experienced in one feature of field service, but not in another. Naturally, we all desire to be capable and effective preachers of the good news. By sharing the benefits of our experience and capabilities with others, much happiness can result.—Acts 20:35.

² The book study group arrangement is a fine provision for providing mutual help. Many publishers have experience and abilities that they can use to assist others in their group. In many cases, it is simply a matter of making known the need and asking them to assist. We suggest that each book study conductor give thought to some who may need a helping hand in the service, and those who might be willing and in the best position to give effective help.

³ When he has this in mind, perhaps the conductor can first approach the experienced publisher about working with one less experienced. For example, he might say to a sister: “Would you mind working with Sister———— for a day or two in the house-to-house service? I am sure that she would benefit from your experience. I think both of you would enjoy working together as companions for awhile and it would prove to be mutually upbuilding.”

⁴ If the experienced sister is agreeable, the conductor can suggest that she talk to the other sister about it, working out arrangements that would be suitable for them. In some cases, they might want to discuss such with the study conductor, as he may have suggestions on how to proceed. They can plan what would be most convenient in the way of preparing together, sharing in the service and following up interest.

⁵ The conductor should take a real interest in the brothers by inquiring from time to time as to how they are getting along. His helpfulness and words of encouragement will demonstrate that he is more than just someone who conducts the study; he has tender affection for others and is sincerely interested in their spiritual progress. When the service overseer spends a week with that group, he, too, will be interested in what is being accomplished. Anything that he and the conductor can do with a view to developing the arrangement to help one another at the book study level will strengthen the congregation as a whole.—1 Thess. 2:7, 8.

Presenting the Good News—With My Book of Bible Stories

¹ “Simple, yet very instructive!” That is what many are saying about My Book of Bible Stories. Undoubtedly, this fine Bible study aid can help us reach many more sincere ones, both young and old, who have yet to understand the Bible’s message.

² Since many have been affected by the death of a loved one, you may wish to speak of the condition of the dead and the hope of the resurrection, tying in Psalm 146:4, 5 and Story 92 of the Bible Stories book.

³ We might start our presentation like this: “Good day. As a neighbor of yours it is a pleasure to bring you some good news. All of us have experienced the loss of a close friend or relative in death. Perhaps you have wondered what has happened to such ones. [Allow time for comment.] God’s Word gives us hope in Psalm 146:4, 5. [Read.] How kind God is in giving hope both for those who have passed away in death and for those of us who are living. This picture [turn to Story 92] shows a resurrection that Christ Jesus performed not only for the young girl’s sake, but also for the joy of her parents. You can just imagine how happy those parents must have been. But this was not the only person Jesus resurrected. The last paragraph of this story shows that he resurrected the son of a widow and his good friend Lazarus. And note the good news mentioned in the last two sentences. [Read.] This publication is designed for young and old alike, to help us all better appreciate the love and concern that God has for us. We are offering it on a contribution of $2.00.” You may adapt this presentation to fit the circumstances.

⁴ Where people are busy, we might like to use a shorter presentation, including the illustration in Story 115. We might approach the householder by saying: “Good day. To provide good reading material for young people, I have found this publication to be of great assistance to parents and children alike. It helps them to learn about what God has promised for the future. [Turn to Story 115; read last sentence in paragraph one.] The publishers have made this Bible Stories book with over 125 Bible-based illustrations [quickly thumb through the book] available at a very reasonable cost of $2.00. Would you care to have a copy for your children (grandchildren)?”

⁵ Many have enjoyed fine experiences offering the Bible Stories book informally. One sister reported placing copies by offering it to pediatricians, mentioning that it would be good reading for youngsters in the waiting room. A sister who offered the book at a nursery school was able to start a study with the children. Additionally, she placed 70 books with the children, their parents and their neighbors. The lady in charge of the nursery took 24 books for herself, her relatives and friends. Be alert to your opportunities to offer this easy-to-place book.

⁶ With many young people home from school because of summer vacation, we should have many opportunities to talk to young ones and their parents. This month should prove to be a most enjoyable one as we render praise to Jehovah with the aid of My Book of Bible Stories.—Ps. 146:10.

May Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Pubs. Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi. St.

Sp’l Pios. 665 129.9 95.6 46.9 4.5

Pios. 15,614 82.8 64.7 32.1 3.1

Aux. Pios. 22,957 59.9 47.7 19.7 1.5

Pubs. 481,201 8.6 8.7 3.8 .4

TOTAL 520,437

Newly Dedicated Ones Baptized: 2,183

MEMORIAL REPORT

1979 1978

Total Attendance 1,335,268 1,264,420

Number of Partakers 4,246 4,308

Topic for Conversation

Trust in God Brings Hope for the Dead.

1. Many view death as final.—Ps. 146:4.

2. Jehovah is a God of hope, even for the dead.—Ps. 146:5.

3. Resurrection prospects are a cause for joy.